Blood Angel 2: Darkness Falls
by Metatron85
Summary: One year later: Jade has been using her superhuman abilities to protect the city from violent criminals. She has found allies in a handful of mortals, one of which she has fallen in love with. But whatever happiness and purpose Jade has is threatened by enemies old and new. The vampire has difficult choices that lay ahead. Jori, Cabbie, and a surprise pairing!
1. Late Night Heroics

The dust settled on the fallen el train.

Those 60-year-old supports of the electric track finally gave and about 30 plus passengers were clinging for their lives, scared to death when the vessel went vertical and smashed onto the unforgiving asphalt below.

The damaged car was full of second shifters trying to get home and late night workers heading to their jobs. About half of them remained unscathed even after the four-story drop. Their strategic seating decisions allowed for the ideal buffers from serious injury. Others weren't so lucky. One older man had his herniated disc aggravated when it came into direct contact with a pole. Several other men and women had minor fractures in everything from ribs to arms.

What none of them saw was the calamity that was occurring outside.

At the precise moment the el dove down, it intercepted a minivan heading westbound on the street below the tracks. The mother of two was coming home from the store and hoping to relieve the babysitter but fate, it seemed, had other plans. She was horribly pinned by the crumpled-in dashboard. From the outside, it looked like someone tried to fold the car. The pain was devastating; she tried to withhold her panic even when she was seeing the blood.

Her cell was on the passenger seat far away enough for it to be out of reach. Fear was setting in when each second flew by and she still couldn't feel her legs. She shook her head and held on to the possibility that she's just in shock.

She had to be in shock, she thought to herself. How else could she be looking at a dark-haired young lady ripping the side of the el apart like it was cardboard. Then passengers were being carried out, as much as two at a time. The mother's heart was racing when the super strong woman made her way toward the car.

"CLOSE YOUR EYES!" she was apparently yelling from outside. The driver obliged and heard the deafening crack of the windshield. She didn't catch the name of the mysterious stranger so she would refer to her as Snow White, with her pale skin and raven-dark hair.

Snow peered inside and saw that the driver was indeed trapped. She scaled the roof and pulled it off like she was the jaws of life. Snow gets beside the driver and pushes on the dash with her hands and the crumpled mess of thick plastic and wires and bulbs pushed back out. The driver was free and the pale girl carefully lifted the woman out of the damaged vehicle. Snow then laid her down on the ground flat and told her to wait for the EMT's.

Sirens were audible in the distance and Snow White vanished. The shaken mother, when finally able to speak intelligibly again, would go on to tell police that her guardian angel must have been the one who saved her. The victim, in the opinion of the police, had a "long day" and was "going through a lot." Similar fantastic claims would also be brushed off from the el train survivors. All of them made it.

The usual press showed up at the scene when the accident was blaring all over the police and emergency bandwidths. One reporter, however, was very interested in the "exaggerated claims" of the surviving victims. The dolled-up, curly-haired journalist along with her lanky, poodle-haired cameraman eagerly interviewed who they could at the scene. The critically injured were trucked off to the hospital long before the media got there.

"Excuse me," the chocolate brown hair lady said, leaning over the police barricades. "Trina Vega, KRGR Action News, can I get a statement?"

"No," a uniformed officer raising his hand to the camera lens.

"Wait, hold on." The reporter was getting antsy but the authorities were being tightlipped and very protective of the hurt citizens.

"Damn it, officer!" Miss. Vega called out. "The people have a right to know what happened here. These people have families, wondering where the hell they are."

"Family members and others will be contacted," a highly-decorated cop says. "In time. For right now, you will have to wait for our official statement which will be sometime tomorrow after we assess the situation."

"Shit," Trina mumbles as she storms away. Her faithful cameraman, Sinjin, follows like a dog.

"Trina," he began. "I got what I could but I think a lot of them got similar angles."

Trina waves her hand at the tall, skinny guy. "Forget it. This story's dead. Everyone will be reporting on the accident. But the cops want to cover up everything about this heroine."

"They say she ripped off metal like it was nothing," Sinjin sounding very impressed.

"I know. You would think that something that unlikely they would be interested in." Her eyes widen and she grins a devilish grin. "They're hiding something; I know it!"

* * *

The construction site was deserted; the workers leaving their gargantuan tools behind like prehistoric animals in the tar pits. It was completely dark, save for one area a few yards from the main entrance which was illuminated by one of the portable lights.

Sid Chisom stood outside his fancy black SUV before a beat-up Cadillac Seville pulls up. A large bald man walks out, walks around the vehicle and pulls out a teary-eyed girl of about fifteen.

"Well, what do we have here?" Sid grimaced.

"A fresh one. Says her name is Paige."

Sid moved closer to better regard the newcomer in question, restrained by the bald man. "Pretty. Maybe beautiful one day." He cups her face. "Now tell me, how long ago did you run away, _Paige_?"

She chokes before answering. "Two…weeks."

"I'll bet this is your first time in the big, scary city." His tone was mocking sympathy.

She nods.

"Well you know," he mutters stroking her hair. "It doesn't have to be so big and so scary. In fact, I have jobs lined up for enterprising, attractive young girls like yourself." Sid then grips her arms tightly like he was testing her blood pressure. It was probably high right now. "And I take good care of my employees."

Sid gazes up at her escort and smiles.

"You know, I think if my memory serves me that yesterday was Marv here's birthday. And I completely forgot."

The large man addressed as Marv snorts, knowing where he was going with this.

"So maybe," Sid taking Paige by the shoulders and forcing her on her knees. "Maybe we could kill two birds with one stone. I see what you really got and good old Marv here gets a little something special."

Paige's eyes were bloodshot with sobbing. "Please, don't…I can't…"

Marv's fly unzipping and the clicking of Sid's gun happened almost simultaneously.

"Now, don't be a chicksh…" Sid's words were interrupted by the light shattering and the whole place now becoming pitch black.

Marv fumbles for a mag lite and once locating one, points it in front of his face. He saw a torrent of black hair and sharp fingernails before it got dark again.

Sid heard the shouting of his cohort, however brief, and grabs the distraught girl.

"We're getting the fuck out of here!"

He throws her into the SUV and drives off. A dark-haired girl is standing just behind the car, making Sid slam on the brakes. He shakes his head, wondering why she's just standing there. In one second, he makes a decision and plows in reverse, nailing the female. After thinking he killed her, he looks out and a look of horror washes over his face when she rises up and grins like she has the upper hand.

Unbeknownst to Sid, she did.

The car skidded away but Sid was soon eye-to-eye with the mysterious girl that survived a dead-on hit and run, clinging to the car despite the speed. She punches through the driver's-side window and grabs the wheel, turning it furiously. This in turn makes the sports utility vehicle flip over to its side.

It lands on the driver's side. The woman rips off the passenger door and pulls out Paige.

She hands the runaway a cell with a purple case. "Is this your phone?" the stranger asks the girl.

She nods. But Paige could have sworn that Marv confiscated her cell. Little did she know that Marv was resting very uncomfortably in the raised scoop of a bulldozer.

"Call the police, bring them here."

"Thank you."

"Just get your ass home. And don't let me catch you on these streets again."

Paige nods, wiping her tears and runs away.

Sid looks with his eyes because his neck is broken. All he could see was that girl he tried to hit crawling into he car from above. He felt like a fly in a spider's web.

When police arrived at the scene, they found would-be pimp Sid Chisom. Ironically, he was dangling very much like a spider at that moment only it was from the hook of a crane.


	2. Fears

**A/N: Holy crap! Over 100 hits on the first chapter in just one day! Nice. Thanks for the favorites and follows Thanks also so much for all your kinds words. I am trying to make a point from now on to respond to everybody personally who posts a review. **

**BTW, Big Shout Outs to the six who migrated from the last story and were the first to comment on this new installment:**

**Thanks to TimelessReader, spiderwriter, Charmdfan02, Jeremy Shane, SKRowling, and TheLastOfThem. Your words keep me going and please, tell your friends.**

* * *

Tori checked her phone at the restaurant. It was 37 past the hour.

_She's late. Again._

Her ears perked up at the sound of the door opening but her eyes saddened when it was only a giggling couple coming through. She turns around and is startled by Jade sitting nonchalantly across from her.

"Don't do that," Tori sternly said, holding her beating heart. She looks around. "How did you get in?"

"Back door." Jade tilts her head. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I understand. You get…busy."

Jade looks down at the glass beside Tori's hand. "What're you drinking?"

"Oh, uh just rum and Coke."

Jade gives her a look.

"Okay," shrugging her shoulders. "Easy on the rum."

"I told you they card here."

"Well, you can at least get something."

She clears her throat. "I don't drink."

"What are you afraid of, alcohol poisoning?"

Jade grins. "I just figure that my ilk doesn't eat so having an empty stomach for the better part of a decade will make me an inconsolable drunk in no time flat."

Tori nods. "Good point. I suppose it wouldn't help having you drunk _and_ able to punch through walls."

The vampire puts her arm around the human. "With that being said, one would watch their lip."

Tori smiles and leans in to kiss her girlfriend.

"Can I ask you something?" Tori asks.

"Okay."

"Why do you do it?"

Jade looks confused. "Do _what_?"

"You know…every night…"

Jade folds her arms, closing her eyes.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry but I've always wondered about it and I wanted to ask for a while…"

"It's complicated."

"Please?" Tori makes the sad puppy dog face that both irritates and melts Jade.

"The people…that I love are few and far between. I care about them for different reasons but the conditions are the same…which are none."

Tori flicks her head and widens her eyes signaling for Jade to continue.

"They're good people who have done nothing to deserve the shit that has been thrusted upon them. I can safely say without ego that those select few that I care for are entitled to a happy existence…Even if I'm not."

"I don't understand. What do you mean by 'not you'?"

Jade lowers her head, fresh tears forming in her blue-green eyes but she wipes them away before they have a chance to traverse her face.

"I am learning more and more about what I have become," she sniffs. "And not all of them are good." She looks at Tori. "The people I love, no matter how terribly this world treats them, will get what's coming to them in the next. I just thought that if I did as much as possible to help others…"

"That you wouldn't be left behind," Tori finishing her thought.

"I lost my sister, Tori. And what makes it worse is that I'm not confident that I will ever see her again because of what I am now. Never mind the fact that I'm not exactly easy to be killed but when I do die, I don't think I will be able to go wherever she is."

Jade grips Tori's hand tightly.

"And you. I couldn't stand to lose you, too. "

Tori plants small, delicate kisses all over Jade's face.

"Listen to me," she starts. "Everything good in my life has all been because of you. If you weren't there that night, I wouldn't be here today. And I certainly wouldn't be as happy as I am now. If there is some kind of order in this world beneath all the random suffering, I want to believe that someone like you deserves to be happy. Even if she herself doesn't."

"I love you…so much."

"I love you too, Jade."

* * *

David Vega rifles through some files on the desk in his office. A knock disturbs him.

"Yeah," he calls out looking up.

"You wanted to see me, sir" Robbie Shapiro was leaning in the doorway.

"Oh, yes. Come in, Shapiro."

The young officer obliges and sits across from his superior.

"What do we have?" Rob asks.

"A growing problem, is what." Vega throws a paper at Rob and he reads the front page about the scene at the construction site. "More displays like that, it's going to be hard keeping her under wraps."

"Are you gonna say she has to stop" His grin lowers. "Sir?"

"Yeah, right after you do."

Rob leans back, flipping through the paper. "I mean, I can't blame her. Her father was Grimaldi's right hand man. You could say he helped him build his empire. Naturally, Miss West feels a certain obligation. She feels vicariously responsible for the crimes in this town."

"And that's why she's trying to nip these little twerps like Chisom in the bud before they become truly corrupt and too powerful." Vega gets up and paces. "Once the mob disintegrated, thanks to the removal of their vampire protection, every lowlife now thinks he's the next kingpin. Jade West has done us a great service but I would be lying if I said things were better." Vega turns to Rob. "What of this Andre Harris guy? Has he reported back with anything?"

"No," Rob shaking his head. "He has caught wind of a few pockets of vampires upstate. So far, none are coming within the city limits."

"Why?"

"Scared," Rob shrugs. "Jade left quite an impression by killing off Lyriz and burning down his legacy."

"Literally." Vega rubs his 10-day growth. "I got to be honest, Rob. I've always believed in the afterlife and things like that. But after seeing hard evidence with your own eyes, I can't help but be scared."

Shapiro just stared at his boss. He was the toughest cop he knew after his old retired partner.

"Knowing that these things exist, it's like living in a world of demons."

"And her?" Rob brandishing the newspaper.

"Let's just hope she's strong enough to face the Devil himself."


	3. Foreboding

**A/N: More reviews and followers! Great! Keep reading. It's gonna really pick up.**

* * *

Jade and Tori find themselves at her doorstep, an all-too familiar place.

"I had a nice time, Jade" Tori beaming.

Jade couldn't let her hand go. "Sorry tonight had to be so short."

"It's okay; it was nice to see you anyway."

The two ladies lean in and share a slow, soft kiss. After their mouths depart, they lean their foreheads against one another.

"Tori?"

"Yeah?"

"Have you told your family about us?"

"Of course, babe."

Jade sighs. "Okay, did you tell them about _me_?"

"Well…"

Jade strokes Tori's hair. "It's okay."

"No, it's not" Tori pouts. "It shouldn't be a secret."

"It's just awkward. I work with your father and your sister is trying to hunt me down."

"Luckily dad will make sure that there are no leaks. She won't succeed."

"I don't know," Jade rolling her eyes. "She seems tenacious. Something about her eyes…You can see it on TV."

"Jade" Tori gasps, jokingly. "Are you afraid of my big sister? That's so adorable!"

"Hey," Jade pinning Tori against the door by her arms. "I'm not afraid of anyone. You're the weak human. _You_ should be scared."

Tori shakes her head. "Well, I'm not." She plants a smile at the end of her declaration. "When I'm with you, I'm not afraid. Even when you're not here, I still feel safe. You should give yourself credit. These streets have been safer. You got people walking around at night now. That hasn't happened for a long time."

"Yeah, a long time." Jade's face grows dire, her smile disintegrating.

"What's the matter?" Tori's eyes swelled with concern.

"Nothing. I guess I really don't want…_this_ to end." She holds Tori's hand close to her chest.

"We need to talk about that, you know."

Jade nods. "Another time."

"Okay."

* * *

Dr. Caterina Valentine was going over some paperwork in the hospital staff break room. Normally the double-shift people would use this room to crash but she was catching up on her scheduling of the surgical team. As Chief, she needs to make sure the hospital has a steady rotation 24/7.

She was so enthralled by her work that she didn't notice the pair of lips creeping behind her ear.

"What's up, Doc?"

Cat jumps up, screaming. She clutches her chest which is still heaving tremendously.

"What the fuck?"

"Sorry," Jade looking sheepish. "People say I need to stop doing that."

"Jade…Christ…what are you doing here?"

Jade makes a gesture with her finger toward her open mouth and a smile as she rubs her tummy.

"You can't be serious?"

"Look, I'm just trying to be civil. That isn't exactly an easy thing I'm requesting here."

Cat looks around. "Come with me."

* * *

The Chief of Surgery found herself sneaking through the halls of the sixth floor like a first year intern.

"Over here," she motions for Jade.

The two enter a room that Cat had to open with a key. The door had no title other than the sign "DO NOT ENTER."

_Well we're breaking the rules already_, Cat thought to herself.

Jade looks around at all the shiny equipment and storage lockers. She could feel the chill and slowly begin to smell the sweet crimson stashed away.

"So, you finally ran out of your reserves?"

Jade nods. "Those cult freaks didn't keep very much of what they appropriated. Whatever. None of it was theirs to start with. Not one drop." She scans the doors with blood just on the other side. "So, do I just help myself?"

"No," Cat giving Jade a stern mother's look. "Right here."

Cat hands jade a pint of blood. It was so dark, it could hardly be considered red. Jade squished it around in her hands, smiling.

"And there's plenty more where that came from," Cat says.

"That ought to sustain me for a few days. I should only bother you about twice a week the most."

Jade pokes the thick bag with her fingernail and starts sucking the bag like a juice pouch sans straw. After Jade comes down from her elation over that first tasting, her features harden and she glares at Cat, suspicious.

"What's the catch?"

"_These_," Cat gesturing to that open bag. "Are from when we do an autopsy."

"Whatever doesn't kill you..." Jade shrugs and then finishes the bag and discards it afterwards.

"Can I ask you something?"

Jade nods.

"Is this necessary?" Cat asks, folding her arm. "Can the blood be in any condition?"

"Warm and fresh is preferable. As long as it's preserved like this."

"I mean if any blood will do, how about an animal?"

Jade nods, feigning that she is in deep thought. "Let me ask _you_ something. Would you give a person the heart of a baboon?"

Cat shakes her head, making a scrunched-up face. "Biologically speaking, a human could get by on an ape's heart but only for a very short while."

"There you go," Jade says while smiling. "Couldn't have said it better."

Jade walks across the room, about to leave but then stops.

"You still dating that cop?"

Cat was caught off guard by the question but remembered that she knew him second hand. "Uh, yeah."

Jade nods. "So, have you told him you're pregnant?"

So much color vanished from Cat's face that even Jade was more pleased with her own complexion. "How…did you…"

"I can hear the little heartbeat from way over here."

Cat brushes her hair from her face, sitting down in a daze.

"You should take it easy," Jade says concerned. "You can't get too excited." She waited a minute before the obvious follow-up. "You didn't answer my question. Does Shapiro know?"

"No," Cat whispers, shaking her head.

Jade tilts her head. "You're not sure it's his."

Cat clenches her hands, closing her eyes tightly which forces tears to stream down. "No."

"What happened?"

"It was late one night. It was me and doctor Foley…shit, I can't believe I was so stupid."

"Well," Jade rubbing her back to calm her down. "You are a doctor after all. You have the means to find out in secret."

"I'm afraid. There's a strong possibility that it might not be Rob's. And it stinks because we both talked about kids and I know that Foley wants nothing to do with a child. If it turned out to be his, I don't know what I would do."

"I'm not gonna lie," Jade's tone getting serious. "You messed up bad. But you need to tell Shapiro what's up."

Cat nods. "I know. Thanks. It…felt good to be able to talk about it."

She turns around and the vampire has disappeared into thin air.

* * *

A white tractor-trailer backs into the National Museum of Civilization. The drop door flies open and dozens of wooden crates are seen. A forklift takes off one crate marked N.M.C. for delivery.

A couple museum employees open the crate with crowbars and start digging through thousands of packing peanuts to a marble box embellished with real gold.

"It's beautiful," one muses out loud.

"And the only one of its kind," his partner adds.

"Counting on it," a raspy voice whispered from the darkness.

Before the unloaders could react, their throats are slit with one swift motion. They both collapse almost in unison. A figure walks over and picks up the artifact and vanishes.

By the time the driver finally located his paperwork and made his way to the back of the truck to get a signature, the two men were already dead and the transporter's dispatch would have a difficult time understanding the man's babbling.


	4. Burying and Digging

**A/N: You guys reviewing are the best. I see the number of hits and wished that more of you would share your thoughts. I really want to know how I'm doing! Well, hope you're all enjoying yourselves ;-)**

* * *

"Sinjin!" Trina yells across the newsroom.

The cameraman snaps out of napping at the editing bay. "I'm up! I'm up!"

"Is the segment ready, yet?"

"Yeah, yeah" he scrambles across his workstation. His tense face relieves when he produces a tap with a white label on it. "Right here, Tri…"

The reporter snatches with a smile. "Thanks." He blinks and she's gone.

Trina marches down the hall with purpose, looking for the producer. She has him in her sights and gets close to the bearded man in the white collar shirt.

"Josh!"

"Oh," his even face goes south. "It's you."

"Yeah, me. Listen, Josh; I've been doing some research on these gang leaders being found beaten up. We've seen vigilantism before but this is like someone's declaring war on the entire underworld."

"Ah, huh. Maybe it's that billionaire who dresses like an owl or something."

"Look, I'm being serious!" Trina sounding clearly upset.

"And I'm serious, too. The hour is full. Even if it wasn't, it will not be a slow enough news day for a crank story like this."

Trina's eyes became deadly. "This isn't just some conspiracy theory. This is really happening. I don't think…"

"Enough!" Josh holding up his hands in frustration. "Now I need to divide my attention between the floor and the control room because the director is sick."

"But, hey!"

He's gone. Trina leans against the wall, holding her story in her hand.

"How'd it go?"

Trina turned around and glowered at Sinjin. He lowers his head and raises his shoulders, bracing for a blow to the head. It didn't come.

"It didn't." She blows a strand of hair out of her face.

"I'm sorry."

"The reason they don't take me seriously," her finger jabbing his chest. "Is because all we have is testimonies of distraught survivors. Boring."

"How is that boring?"

"Because," her tone getting more frustrated. "That kind of stuff can always be disputed; brushed aside. What I need is hard evidence. Mom said that dad's been spending an awful lot of time at the station the past few months 'working on a case.' I'll bet the cops really _do_ know something. And he's my ticket in."

"Trina," Sinjin sounding like a counselor. "You've barked up this tree before. Your dad refuses to give you any leads."

"Who said anything about being _given_ anything?"

* * *

Cat is writing out her words, trying to get them just right. She wants Rob to know everything but she doesn't want him to have a shadow of a doubt that she loves him deeply.

The clunk-click of the lock snaps her out of it and she turns to see her love coming through the door, exhausted.

"Hey, hon" wrapping her arms around his neck. "How's work been?"

"Tiring. Cap has me pretty much on paperwork all day long."

"About our mutual friend?"

"I'm not at liberty to say," Rob says like he always does.

She understood that he was part of a special unit concerning the woman that saved the hospital last year but she accepted that certain details were better left classified.

"What'cha working on there?" he asks gesturing to the counter bisecting the kitchen with the living room that has the note on it.

"Oh," Cat running over to snatch the paper and pocket it. "Just a list. Still working on it."

"Alright, well I'm gonna take a shower now."

"Are you sure you're okay?" Cat asking concerned. They have been going out for a while and living together for three months. She knows when he has something on his mind.

"Nothing. Um, I don't know. All this paper pushing. It reminds me of what I'd rather be doing."

"Oh," Cat folding her arms trying to not come off judgmental. "You're considering going back in the field?"

"Yeah. I do miss it."

"Isn't it a little dangerous?"

"No more dangerous than a hospital," he grins They know he's referencing to that time it was under siege by vampires of all things.

"That's not fair," she retorts pointing.

"Look, it's gonna be a while until we…I mean…it's not like…"

"What if…things changed. What if I can't afford to lose you?"

"You never had an issue before."

"Yeah, but what if it's no longer just me?"

He stares at her, contemplating those last words. She was half hoping he would get it and half hoping he wouldn't. Because she was afraid of what would come next.

"I'm not a detective but I think you're trying to tell me something," he says jokingly.

Cat nods.

"How long?"

"About nine weeks."

Rob holds her hands and looks at her behind. "I didn't want to say anything, but…"

"Jerk," she smiles while slapping him hard. They kiss and Cat holds her finger over his mouth, telling him to be silent. "Now will you reconsider leaving the _boring_ job?"

"Okay," he sighs. "You win. You _both_ win." He thinks for a second. "Man, we've got a lot to do, don't we?"

"Later. Just hold me right now, please?"

He obliges and the two stand close together for the remainder of the hour.

_Another time_, she says to herself. _Just let me have this._

* * *

Cops seal off the murder/robbery scene at the Museum of Civilization. It was a good scenario from a PR standpoint. The crime occurred in a sheltered loading dock and the pouring rain kept onlookers and media at bay. One thing that Vega cherished was a nice closed crime scene. Discretion in this day and age is difficult and makes improbable to solve crimes.

Prevention is a much easier alternative. Sadly, his friend and nocturnal crusader missed these poor schmucks. He always understood about the dangers of being a cop. There was logic in him getting plugged. But ordinary citizens out doing their rounds getting senselessly maimed always disgusted him. _What did these guys ever do to anyone? They were just doing their jobs. Why did he or they have to kill them? They would have given up whatever they took._

People like these have so much to lose that they wouldn't dare to compromise that. _They must have families. They always do._

"Vega!"

He turns to see Comm. Turner walking toward him. "What are you doing here, Captain?"

"Hello, Commissioner. Thought I'd survey the scene."

"I appreciate the thought but we already have the primary detectives on this and medical personnel have just arrived. I ask you again, why are you here?"

Vega shrugs. "You gotta admit, sir, homicides aren't exactly the dime a dozen they once were."

"And how," he nods.

"Sorry, I just wanted to be sure that everything was being handled."

"This isn't just this time. You have been turning up at nearly every violent crime scene. Why?" Turner was getting impatient.

"Sir, I…uh…"

"Look," Turner pointing at Vega. "If this has anything to do with your special unit I want to hear nothing about it. You know, I don't like the way IA is sniffing around my affairs. If I want to save my own ass I need a little plausible deniability."

"Understood, sir."

"Vega, I don't know what you are cooking up in your little think tank but it's big. I just hope it's not big enough to destroy us both."

"You're just gonna have to trust me."

"I knew you were going to say that," Turner's face got more agitated.

* * *

Jade's patrol on the roof of a factory is disturbed by the ringing of the cell that Vega gave her. She picks it up but it's not the cop. She answers.

"Hello?"

"Jade," Andre's voice comes through the other line. "Where are you?"

"Downtown. Why?"

"Tell me where you are. We need to talk, right now."

"Is it bad?"

"Real bad."


	5. Underhanded Deeds

**A/N: Thanks for those who have reviewed. I really want to read more, though. Please tell me if you're enjoying yourselves. My work schedule has completely flipped this week so my output will hopefully be more routine. I'm working mostly in the afternoon and at night. I tend to write better in the morning when I'm fully charged. **

**Well, here's number five. Things are about to get real!**

* * *

"You ever read the Bible, Jade?" Andre's expression was damn serious. "Old Testament?"

"I've seen the movie," she replies sarcastically. "Charlton Heston, right?"

"Look," Andre grabbing her shoulders. "This is important. Please listen."

"Fine," her eyes narrowing in annoyance.

"You know the story about Moses and the ten plagues of Egypt?"

"Yeah," Jade shaking her head. "I barely remember."

"Well, before the final plague of the death of the first born sons there was the plague of darkness. It is said that God told Moses to outstretch his hand into the sky to blot out the sun and a shadow was cast over the Egyptian landscape."

Jade crosses her arms. "And this has what to do with anything?" She felt like she was back in Sunday school again.

"What if I told you that it really happened? What if I told you that the enchanted object given to Moses to carry out the ninth plague is here? And what if it fell into the wrong hands?"

He had her undivided attention. "You have got to be fucking kidding me!"

"It gets worse."

Jade couldn't believe it. "What?"

"You may have killed Lyriz. But some of his followers still remain. They have survived in clusters around the country. More importantly, his philosophy has endured. It's what I have always feared and tried to prevent. But it looks like we're too late."

Jade puts it together. "They're moving into the city."

"Right. Which could only mean they either forgot about you or…"

"…They have a new weapon."

"You are somewhat stronger than the average vampire being as you are a descendant of the Origin. Unfortunately, your compassion for the humans will be your undoing. And they know this."

Jade's rage rises like the bubbles in a boiling pot.

"If they can't destroy you, then they will make what you're trying to save impossible. Think about it: a city of millions bathed in permanent darkness. The city would be under siege by vampires 24 hours a day."

Jade turns to leave.

"Where are you going?" Andre asks. "What are you going to do? Even _you_ can't stop every vampire."

"I have to try."

Her pediment is interrupted by a loud explosion below. The building across the street is an enormous fireball. Jade jumps off the roof, landing on the dumpster in an alleyway. The impact left a noticeable dent. She runs across the street, the screams of people inside growing stronger.

It scared her because she read about vampires and how fire affects them. While she wasn't worried about the building collapsing on top of her, she still had to tread lightly with those flames. And they were pretty much everywhere.

* * *

Trina marches through the front door of the municipal building to the front desk of the police department.

"Excuse me," she says while leaning on the desk. "Is Captain David Vega around?"

The bald man with glasses shakes his head. "He's home now. Say, aren't you his oldest?"

"In the flesh," she grins widely arms stretched.

"I'm sorry but you missed him."

Trina shrugs. "Oh, that's okay. I was supposed to pick up a book from him. Might be in his office. Can I check?"

"Well, alright but sign the visitor's log."

Trina signs her name but not in her handwriting. A little tip she picked up from other journalists. After that, she smiles and starts down the corridor.

"Hey."

The sudden call out makes her turn around, expecting the worst.

"I hope that you're not digging for the 6 o'clock news," he smiles, waving his finger.

"You're funny," Trina laughs nervously.

* * *

Tori was setting the table as her mom was bringing out the dinner. Her father walks in, drying his hands on his pants.

"Is it ready?" he asks.

Mrs. Vega stands with one arm on her hip. "Yes, dear."

"What," he looked defensively. "I was just asking."

The three sit down and begin to eat the lovely green bean casserole.

"So, dad, why couldn't Trina make it?" Tori asks before taking in a spoonful.

"Oh, she had work. I can understand how crazy it gets. There was one time I was at the local affiliate for an interview and you should have seen the news floor. Dozens of people running around, working so fast I couldn't keep track."

"The hours got to be erratic with the news being at 5 a.m. all the way to 11:30 at night," his wife adds. He nods in agreement.

"Tori, you would've loved this. The main guy who watches the floor was standing only inches away from the camera. Now these cameras were huge also because they had those teleprompters in the front. So the camera whips around and catches guy in the face. He falls down, out cold."

Tori covers her mouth, trying not to spray everyone while she drank.

"The best part the anchors see all of this happening; they're still live, and they're trying to keep from laughing. The lady's holding back a giggle while she's reporting on a capsized cruise liner. When the guy finally came to, everybody knew it because you heard the loudest 'Goddamn it!' you ever heard."

They both crack up laughing.

"David," his wife trying to hold it back. "That's not funny."

"Speaking of work," he turns back to Tori. "How's the bookstore treating you?"

"Eh, okay I guess. This is the worst time of year. Everybody's trying to get trade-in value for their old books from last semester and they either don't get a fraction of what they paid for or in the case of the history books, they don't take them at all."

"That's what I always say," Holly Vega going into mom-mode. "Buy your books second-hand."

"Yeah, sometimes the stuff you need is already highlighted." Mr. Vega grins. "So, making any friends?"

Tori nods. "Oh, yeah."

"Dating anyone?"

Holly looks right at him. "Babe!"

"I was just asking, jeez."

Tori rubs her arm nervously. "I am seeing someone. She's…off campus."

"How long have you been going out?" David Vega is now in dad-mode.

Tori contemplates the question. "A while."

"Are we going to meet this special young lady or what?"

"Her hours are difficult to arrange things like that but…"

"Hey," he waves his hand. "It's okay. As long as you're happy I'm fine. Is she treating you right?"

Tori smiles. "Like there's no one else in the world."

"Sounds like a keeper," her mom chimes in.

* * *

Outside the Vega residence a car is parked. The driver looks into the happy family with binoculars. The man in the driver's seat gets a call. He answers.

"Yeah?...Is she?...Yeah we found it…..Okay, later."

The driver, passenger and a third man from the backseat exit the unmarked vehicle. The one from the back is carrying a large black bag. He proceeds to go around to the back of the house while the other two remain out front.

They make their way up the stone steps and ring the doorbell.


	6. Carry That Weight

Tori clutched her chest with her right arm whose arm happened to be bleeding as well. She attempted to roll over whilst nursing two gaping gunshot wounds. Her insides were on fire, her head spinning. She bit her lip and executed a sideways roll. It was then she finally had them in her sights.

"Mom…..Dad…." her voice was stifling, like she was drowning in a big ocean.

Even though she knew her voice was barely audible, their lack of response frightened her to her foundation.

"Mom?"

She and her husband remained motionless, covered in blood.

The movement of her diaphragm was very painful but she couldn't help it. The gentle sobbing flowed forward. Had she more energy at the moment, she could've screamed.

She drifted away as she began to hear the sirens.

When the police and ambulances showed up, the personnel couldn't believe the sight. They have seen home invasions before but the residence of Captain David Vega was a bloodbath.

A double-parked car at first was preventing from medical people from getting close enough to the house. When Jade caught wind of what had happened and arrived on the scene, she pitched the intrusive vehicle down the block where it landed upside-down.

Jade situated herself on the roof of one of the ambulances. From this vantage she could take in everything. She knew enough to stay back and allow the EMT's to do their job. Right now, Jade needed a miracle.

A stretcher is wheeled out of the front door. The body was in a long black bag. Jade overheard that it was Holly Vega. She never met her but Tori talked endlessly about what a great mom she is. Was. Angling herself to see through the window, Jade witnesses the zipper enveloping the face of Officer Vega. She lowered her head in reverence to her dead friend and his wife for 26 years.

"We got a live one here!"

Jade's ears perked up and she began to tear up when she saw Tori being wheeled with a breathing apparatus. She could sense the heartbeat. It was slow going but it was still pumping. Hers was too at the moment. Tori got wheeled into the ambulance doors right beneath Jade. She tried to get Tori to see her but she had her eyes shut.

The engine revved up and the red and white van sped away. Jade held her stance on the noisy, flashing vehicle. She was determined not to leave her side.

* * *

Trina picked the lock of her father's office in the lower levels of the police station. She spent the better part of an hour rummaging through papers and finding nothing. He either took the crucial stuff home with him or they are locked in one of these drawers.

Time was getting away from her. She knew that the shift had not yet changed at the clerk desk. The same bald man would be there, wondering what was taking her so long.

"Fuck it," she says under her breath. Trina grabs a flash drive sticking out of the computer and leaves.

Trina makes her way to the front and a hand rests on her shoulder.

"Excuse me, Miss?"

She turns to see the man from before, only hardened in the face.

"Yes?" she asked hesitantly, thinking she was made.

"Something has happened; you need to go to the hospital."

Trina furrowed her brow. "What are you talking about?"

He swallows before continuing. "Your parents and your sister were attacked tonight. Neighbors heard shots and caught glimpse of three unidentified gunmen."

She covered her mouth on the edge of tears.

"Your sister's in critical condition from what I hear."

"And my dad? Mom?"

He grips her arms as if to keep her grounded. "I'm so sorry."

Trina shakes her head. "No. That's not right. They told you wrong. They…" she began to sob. "No! They're not! They can't be!"

She races out of the precinct and finds out from one of the officers who recognized her as Vega's daughter which hospital.

"My parents are dead," Trina said trying to drive despite her hazy vision caused by her crying. "And my sister's all I got left. That's _if_ she makes it through the night."

* * *

Jade storms her way in, the look on her face alone made security not hinder her. When she turned a corner, she bumped into Vega's partner, Rob Shapiro.

"Hey," Jade recognizing him but not interested.

"She's still in surgery. Don't worry, the best goddman surgeon in the world is in charge."

"Wait," Jade shaking her head. "What do you mean don't worry?"

"Jade…I know."

Her eyes widen in shock. "What?"

"I was heading back to the room I stayed at the hospital that day and I got sort of lost. I came across you two and you were…kissing. I didn't want to disturb you or make you think I was watching so I quietly distanced myself."

"I can't believe that you knew all this time." She thinks for a moment. "I can't believe that I didn't sense you there." She cursed herself for being so head-over-heels in that instance. Jade swore that she was going to allow herself to be more aware, even with Tori. She couldn't completely operate blind.

"Well, I didn't really know about you two being together like a couple until I heard about times when her father would try to arrange a get-together and she was busy. I noticed it always seemed to coincide with you being _busy_."

"That fucking explosion downtown," Jade grinded her teeth. "If it hadn't happened, I would've stopped those assholes."

"I'm afraid that was beyond your control."

"What are you talking about?"

"I checked the approximate time of detonation and when Vega's neighbors began hearing the gunshots. They all occurred within a matter of minutes from each other."

Jade was clenching her fists in rage.

"This was all arranged," Rob continued. "They targeted that house and everybody inside. And to ensure that you wouldn't get involved, they created a diversion on the other side of the city. Even you couldn't be in both place at once."

Her anger melted into sadness.

"Hey, don't beat yourself up about it. You did everything possible. It was a trap."

"Yeah," Jade kicked a trash can, leaving a dent on the side and several yards down the long corridor. Luckily it was vacant. "A trap I stupidly fell for. That building was abandoned for decades. What the hell made me think that someone would actually breaking into it."

"Now that wasn't your motivation and you know it. You saw a wanton act of destruction and you acted. It can't be helped. Trust me, you're just _compelled_. That abandoned factory could have been the stage of a gang rape for all you knew. You have a good head on your shoulders…and a good heart."

"Well, my heart is fucking breaking right now. How much longer?"

"Jade, these things take time. I was shot, too. Not as bad but believe me the guy was _trying_ to kill me. And the same woman who helped me is helping Tori. Let her. She really is terrific."

Even though he loved the redheaded doctor completely, Jade saw no hyperbole in what he said about her abilities.

Rob puts his hand on her arm in a comforting manner before leaving. Jade looks around, listening for minute rustling.

"Okay, show yourself!"

Trina Vega emerges from the open door of a supply closet. Jade's anger subsides into one of anxiousness.

"How long have you been there?"

"Long enough," Trina coldly snapped back.


	7. Nothing Lasts Forever

Trina stood before Jade, arms folded.

"I'm waiting."

Jade looked confused. "For what?"

"An explanation."

"I don't have to…"

"No!" Trina cutting her off. Jade actually goes back a step when she sees the fury in her eyes. "You are going to explain yourself!" Trina throws her hands up. "So you're her, huh? You're the guardian angel everybody's been talking about?"

"I never made myself out to be anything," Jade coldly retorts.

"Yeah, well you certainly set precedent. You know, I talked to more people than I thought I would ever meet in my lifetime and they all spoke highly of their dark-haired savior. I must admit, I actually bought into it myself."

"Into what?" Jade's patience was wearing thin.

"That things would be safer, better, with you around looking out for us. Hell, it revived faith in a lot of people, too. They see something like you and it clues them in that there is indeed an afterlife. You gave people hope. I wanted to track you down and tell this town that you are real and you are here to help bring this city out of the shit. I wanted to believe that."

"I'm just doing what others couldn't."

"But," Trina pointing squarely at Jade. "You're not like everyone else. Your acts, you should be aware, were going to piss off some unsavory characters. But you thought you were indestructible. You never took into account that they would try to hurt you through the people you care about?"

Jade had no answer.

"Answer me, Jade!"

"No," she whispered out almost to herself.

"You really didn't expect some kind of retaliation?" Trina's expression was getting more cross.

Jade sighed and didn't respond.

"I don't know if you know this but Tori hasn't always had an easy go. In fact from what she told me growing up, it was damn hard. The stuff about her mother. It made me real sick to my stomach just thinking about it. Lately, though, she's been so…bright"

Jade's eyes lowered.

"I asked what was going on and she just hugged me, nearly picking me up off the ground. And you know what she said?"

She shook her head.

"She told me that she was 'so in love.'"

"I…" Jade began.

Trina holds up her finger. "I always wanted a sister and when she was adopted, I made sure to look out for her. I always watched her back when we were growing up. When she left for college, I checked in on her every day. I thought that when she found someone…I could be confident that she was safe."

Jade feigned eye contact with Trina.

"You were supposed to protect her. You promised her you would. She told me that. Tell me I'm wrong."

"You're not wrong," Jade shaking her head.

Dr. Valentine in surgical dress stops in front of the two girls.

"Excuse me, you're Tori Vega's sister, right?"

Trina nods.

"Good," she sighed in relief. "I was looking desperately for next of kin." She clears her throat. "She made it. We have her in her own room recovering. She's in R-23." She leaves Trina with a small smile, trying not to make it evident that she knows Jade, and leaves.

"What can I do to make this right?" Jade asks.

"Leave."

"Leave?"

"Leave her alone. Get out of her life. Our father's been a cop for years. A fucking hero cop at that. He was a thorn in a lot of sides and we never had the heat brought onto us…ever. It was only when you came into her life that it was out at risk. Now, both of our parents are lying dead somewhere in this hospital. I have to make the I.D." Those last two sentences were punctuated with fresh tears in her eyes.

Jade looks at Trina as she walks away. "Can I at least say goodbye?" Her voice was noticeably cracking.

"Make it short. I don't want to see you when I get up to her room."

* * *

She laid there, looking more fragile than usual. Jade always knew that one wrong flick of the wrist could shatter several bones. She had learned to discipline herself to monitor her own strength. It was the only way she could be with Tori.

Tori Vega was covered with a blanket, various tubes and electrodes emanating from beneath it. The humming, hissing and beeping of the monolithic hospital equipment sounded like they were harmonizing if you listened close enough. A literal song in her heart.

It was such a devastating sight. Tori was so full of energy and here she was before Jade looking more like a broken doll left haphazardly by a thoughtless child.

Jade held onto her own arms tightly, in a hugging fashion since her love was incapacitated. It helped her form the words and get them out, though she still struggled to remain audible through the crying.

"Tori," she choked on that first word. She meant so much to Jade that it wasn't a name but a sentence unto itself. Four letters pretty much said it all. She probably would have felt the same. Her chest gently rose and fell.

"You have every right to be disappointed in me. I should've been there for you." Jade held Tori's hand. "How sadistic am I? Giving you a second chance at life only to jeopardize it? Maybe they've always been right. I cannot change my fate. I cannot escape the pattern of my father. He let down the very people he was bound to."

She let Tori's hand go, the limp arm dragging it back onto the bed. Jade immediately had flashbacks to finding Lindsay's mutilated body. She let her own sister down. And she was let down by her own father. This cycle of broken promises and broken bodies had to end.

"You might not agree with my decision at first but we both know deep down that it's the right choice." Jade looks down at her hands rubbing one another. "Should've happened a long time ago."

Jade leaned over and kisses Tori sweetly and slowly on the forehead. "I'll…" she tries to hold back her sobs to keep speaking. "I'll never forget you. That is one promise even I can't break."

With that she looked back one last time at her soul mate. Jade recalled a line from one of her favorite books. "I wish you a long and happy life," she manages while wiping the tears away.

And she was gone.

* * *

The blanket lands with a plop on the hard ground. The seasons were changing and the ground was getting noticeably stiffer. Soon it will frost all over. Maybe even get covered with snow. The blanket unfurls revealing the figure kicking and screaming beneath it the whole way.

Beck Oliver struggled to get his bearings and sat up.

"Where the hell are we?"

"About 10 miles," Jade responded in monotone voice. No feeling. "From the penitentiary."

He had wanted to get out of that prison for months and the last thing he expected was a vampire facilitating his jailbreak.

"Why are we here?" Beck was stroking his minor beard.

"Because you're the only one who knows how." Saying that, Jade drops a cardboard box beside him. It was stamped on the side with "EVIDENCE."

The vampire dropped to her knees before the human.

"I need you to kill me."


	8. Despair

**A/N: Big shout-outs to newcomers FufuTheFallenAngel and hurriCADE. Your recent reviews were just terrific. I love every one of you guys for leaving your thoughts, favoring and following. **

* * *

"What are you doing?" Beck puzzled as Jade knelt before him, vulnerable. He stood before her, scratching his head.

"She's…" fresh tears cascaded down her face. "She's better off without me. I just want you to finish me off so I don't ruin someone else's life."

_What was she talking about. Who's "she"?_

It didn't occur to Beck to capitalize on this opportunity. He was too confused by the change of heart. Last time he saw her, she was primed to break his back.

But he did pick up the box and rummaged through his personal effects confiscated when he was processed. His I.D. must have been elsewhere. The money was probably "filed away." But all his weapons and bullets were there. They were individually tagged with reference numbers and brief descriptions of what the item was. Me smirked at the naïve opinions of what a couple of the guns were called. They were custom-made for vampire hunting but the cops acted like they were revolvers pulled from a junkie. The "Israeli Jericho 941 with Unknown Modifications" was his favorite.

He also liked his UZI-inspired assault gun as well. _What the hell, Israel? Why did you create the best semi-automatic weapons? It's almost like the birthplace of Christianity and Judaism knew a war was coming. Feuding with Palestine was pointless expenditure of energy and life .The real battle lay ahead. The real battle would decide the fate of all of us. _

"I appreciate you trying to do the noble thing," Beck clutching his long-range gun if she were to suddenly run. "But suicide won't save your soul. Far from it."

Jade nods. "I gave up on that dream. Just do it."

_What was with this one?_ he thought. She's not supposed to have guilt. He can see it in her eyes. Beck shook his head. _No. It has to be done. Just be thankful one surrendered to you._

He raised his gun and pointed it squarely at Jade's head. "Pity," he mused. "You are quite beautiful. I'm sure somebody will miss you." One pull of the trigger will reduce her to a cinder. "But you need to be released from your demonic prison."

AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

The scream echoed for miles. Beck fell to the cold, unforgiving ground once more. This time he was holding his arm where something was sticking out that shouldn't be.

"I cannot allow this," Andre sternly tells to neither Jade nor Beck in particular.

Jade looked up. "What are you doing here? How did you find me?"

"Your phone," Andre pointing to her jacket pocket. "Got a GPS on it."

Jade closed her eyes and sighed.

"What do you think you're doing?" Andre crossing his arms.

"This isn't any of your business."

"Bullshit! Do you think if I gave a damn about you I would've let him pull the trigger?"

"Please," her eyes stunned even him. "Please let me die. I cannot live forever without her."

"Will you stop being so selfish?"

"What?"

"You know what I'm talking about! Look at what you have started. To not see it through would be the most irresponsible thing you could ever do!"

"What are you talking about?"

Andre was furious that their conversation did not surface to the front of her memory. "A great darkness is coming, Jade. When they learn how to wield the amulet, they will fucking kill every human in the city. Whatever ones they don't eat, they will infect strengthening their forces. Once they are done, what stops them from moving onto the next major city or town and doing the exact same thing?"

Both Beck and Jade were shaken by this.

"You're not talking about _the_ amulet," Beck asked.

"Yeah," Andre turning to the downed assassin. "The same one that _your_ people were supposed to keep watch over. Don't you value your ancient treasures or some such shit?"

"When did this happen?"

"About three days ago. It was being transported to the Museum of Civilization."

Beck shuts his eyes and opens them back up again. "Right. Right. Whenever an artifact or something that is dangerous to lose is threatened, we discreetly shuffle it around. It never sits in the same location. Too unsafe."

Andre leans in. "Yeah, well, somebody must have talked because vampires were waiting for it."

Jade took all this in as she brought herself to her feet. She swore to stay out of Tori's life but to turn her back on this would put everyone, including her, at risk. She would be up against heavy forces. From how Andre sounded, their numbers were growing tremendously. Jade might not make it but she didn't care.

"Okay," she finally said. "How do we find them?"

"I have an idea," Andre's expression softening but avoiding the urge to smile.

"Excuse me!"

Beck manages to get onto his knees, still holding onto his bad arm.

"Oh, sorry" Andre says walking toward Beck. "Let me reset that bone."

A loud crack and an even louder squeal in agony made even Jade cover her ears.

"Oh man up," Andre carrying the human to the car. Jade follows behind.

Jade's mind was focused on Tori. She felt like shit for almost allowing herself to be snuffed out. Had she been killed, who would have stopped those flesh-eaters from attacking Tori and even her fucking sister Trina. Jade wasn't sure what she had to do but she had to do something. But it wasn't just her out there. Those vampires would attack these people without mercy. They would look at a human and see food. Not somebody's father, mother, sibling, child or lover. Jade made up her mind that they only way she was going to die was fighting.

* * *

Cat reaches across to Rob's side of the bed. Gone. The absence of that familiar feeling causes her eyes to open. She sighs relieved when she spots him sitting by the window.

"Hey you," she smiles.

"Hey yourself," his face was devoid of emotion. That was always how he looked when he was nervous about something.

"What's wrong?"

"Did you sleep okay?"

Cat hates it when Rob tries to change the subject. "I slept fine. I feel caught up. Now, what's is going on?"

"The sun hasn't come up, Cat. Did you notice that? No clouds; it's just the sun isn't out."

"What's the big deal?" Cat stretching and slowly sitting up. "What time is it?"

He looks gravely at her. "Two in the afternoon."


	9. The Opening of the Sixth Seal

**A/N: Here we go! Shit's 'bout to go down!**

* * *

_"And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal ... and the sun became black as sackcloth" - Revelations 6:12_

"Why are you going?" Cat folds her arms, glowering at her fiancée.

"Look," Rob rubbing his temple. "I need to report to the precinct. People are panicking out there. This is the time where the crazies begin looting and causing destruction. I'm sure the hospital will need all the people they can get."

Cat blows a strand of red hair from her face. "It doesn't matter. I'm not on call."

"Well I am, so…I understand that you want me to stay with you because you're scared."

"Stop right there. I'm scared _for_ you. I can handle myself; don't condescend!"

Rob sighs. "I'm sorry, Cat." He holds her hands.

"You don't have to worry about me because I'm here. You on the other hand. I don't know what the hell is out there."

"I won't be gone long, I promise. I'm just trying to get some information. The Emergency Broadcast System won't get into the specifics if the police don't want them to. I won't delay. It's not like I'm going for supplies." He thinks for a moment. "We don't need anything do we?"

Cat closes her eyes. "Um, I'll charge the batteries. We have plenty of water…why?"

"Cuz I don't know what the hell is out there."

He kisses her and closes the door.

"Nice."

Cat rubs her stomach, smiling. "If your daddy doesn't come back until late, I will kill him." Her face got heavy. "At least I _hope_ he's your daddy."

* * *

Trina was shocked awake from her chair by the screams of her baby sister.

"AAAHHH," her eyes shut as tightly as humanly possible. "It hurts! It hurts!"

"Tori," Trina hovering her hands over her body, not sure if she was going to exacerbate the pain by touching her. "It's okay, I'm here." Those words were almost completely said in vain. She didn't know what to do. She had been sick before but nothing like this.

"Get help! Please! Get someone!" Tori closes into a fetal position.

Several minutes later, a doctor shines a light in Tori's eyes. "Tori? Tori? How do you feel?"

"My insides are on fire!" In between screams and pleas, she sobs ferociously. The pain was far too much. Trina was never shot multiple times so she could only imagine. Her heart ached that there was nothing at all she could do to help her sister.

"This is normal, right?" Trina asks.

The doctor just stares at her. "You may have to leave."

"No!"

"Please, it will make our job easier if you're not in the way." His eyes told her that he was trying to be curt, not rude.

"Fine," she sighs and storms out of the room. A few more personnel crowd into the room.

"What the hell?"

"More fluids, now!"

That was all Trina heard before the door closed. She walks over to a small waiting area and plops down on the red sofa. There were no magazines so she just people watched for a while.

"Trina?"

She turned around at the familiar voice. Sinjin stood with flowers and a card.

"I heard about your sister. I'm so sorry."

Trina made a small smile. "That's really sweet, thanks Sinjin."

"Where is she now?"

"In her room," pointing with as hitchhiker's thumb. "She's not doing so great."

"That's terrible. You been watching the news?"

"Not lately," Trina folding her arms. "I know what they've been talking about. No thanks but I don't want to see my parents and sister being paraded around."

Sinjin shakes his head. "No, that's not what I mean. You don't know?"

"Know what?" Trina's was perplexed.

"Intensive care doesn't have windows, does it?"

"No."

* * *

Abernathy emerges from the entrance to the subway. He smiles at the ebony sky as he fondles the amulet around his neck. Gesturing with his hand, dozens of more clod-blooded comrades come up behind him.

Looking behind, the entire corridor was stuffed with bodies at the ready. Hungry bodies.

"The buffet is open" he states to the crowd. "Who's hungry?"

* * *

Rob drives impatiently through the slow traffic. He checks his phone.

_Damn it all. This is taking too long. I better call Cat before she has kittens. No pun intended._

Screams punctuated by the crunching of metal can be heard but he can't see the carnage until….

A bus careen through the lanes in front of Rob and he does some evasive maneuvers to get out of the way. Car after car flips over and gets pushed out of the path. Finally the bus tips over and lands on its side. The lights on the inside flicker.

Rob steps out of his car and watches the fallen behemoth that caused all the mayhem. He sees something moving inside but it's too rapid to make it out.

A fist pounds through the tempered window and a brown-scruffy man peers out. His chin is dripping with blood, which he wipes with his hand and licks off. The vampire spots the human observing him and he smiles. Rob runs back into the car and is startled by the creature attaching himself to the hood of the car. Rob speeds away in reverse and slams on the brakes, sending the vampire flying off. The car deftly turns around and leaves.

His mind races. "Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck…" Rob looks through his rear view mirror and sees the man running at an insane pace, keeping up closely with the car.

* * *

People stuck in rush hour traffic are ripped from their vehicles and feasted upon in the streets. Hundreds scream bloody murder at the improbable sight of biblical proportions: people raining down from the sky, out of nowhere, devouring everyone.

Abernathy hangs from a street lamp, witnessing the chaos. _Lyriz would have been proud_, he thinks to himself. His colony in the north has heard of his legacy but never envisioned an assault on this scale. When Lyriz's brood dissolved, Abernathy saw the opportunity to continue his noble work.

When every human is either dead or recruited, his kind won't even need the amulet. The world will bend to their will. The curse will be lifted and all of their weaknesses will vanish. No more fear of sunlight, no more inconvenient hunger. Just a planet of immortals.

"Feed! Feed! Feed! Don't leave a single one!"


	10. Doors

**A/N: For everyone who has stuck around from the very beginning (that includes the original Blood Angel) thanks so much! And here is your reward for your patience; more non-stop action and drama. Please leave your comments. In this economy, your thoughts still hold tremendous value. :-)**

* * *

Trina watches in terror at the TV in the hospital lobby. Scrambling people being assaulted by almost flying murderous psychopaths. Normally when there was an accident or some kind of melee she would be the first to drag Sinjin into the midst of it for an exclusive. Right now, she is scared beyond rational thought.

After taking it in, she begins to think of her younger sister again.

_Tori. What is going on with her? I better check on how the doctors are doing._

Trina takes the stairs, not because of the emergency situation outside but because of a childhood fear of elevators. Listening to the emergency frequencies and other sources, hearing of the actual statistics of people being trapped in elevators didn't help.

She traverses the corridor of white punctuated by occasional wheeled carts and empty gurneys.

R-23.

Trina opens the door slowly, worried that she would strike a nurse or something. She didn't anticipate what would really be behind that door.

* * *

Cat tries calling Rob for the sixth time since turning on the news. This massive, vicious attack has been going on for almost an hour. Less than 200 have already been reported dead. Despite being drained of their blood, the victims rarely died from exsanguination. It was more common for their throats to be slit or necks snapped. Many died fairly instantly.

"Fuck!" Cat cursing under her breath, trying to not have the baby hear. She has tried her best to eradicate R-rated language from the house before the baby arrives; normally saying phrases like "F-ing" or the more obscure "Frak!" which was Rob's suggestion.

"Come on, where are you?" her tone growing more and more anxious.

Pounding outside in the hallway startles her. Animalistic scratching at the front door makes her gasp and retreat behind the kitchen counter. The scratching and pounding gets louder and louder; focusing intently on the door. The part of the wall holding the chain begins to crack.

Whatever was out there was coming in. Cat grabs a big butcher knife from the utensil block behind her.

"Please, don't" she pleas out loud to no one. "Let me live so I can have my baby!"

* * *

"We haven't got any time!" Beck running through the colossal lot at "U-Store". Jade and Andre are close by.

He stops in front of a big garage door and fumbles in his pockets. Beck winces.

"They still have my keys at the jailhouse," he grumbles.

"I have a key," Jade matter-of-factly states before ripping off the padlock and opening the drop door.

Andre smiles. "Nice."

"Even though I should be offended because I know what these are for," Jade says. "I got to hand it to you, you are prepared."

Beck's storage unit is a king's ransom in artillery. Small handguns to mini over-the-shoulder bazookas. There is also crates and crates of ammunition specifically designed to battle the supernatural. Various rounds of bullets; different millimeters, all silver-plated.

Andre flees the scene for a second and returns soon with a pickup truck. The three load up the bed with the entire Armageddon war effort.

"Just where did you find this truck?" Jade asks.

Andre shrugs. "It was lying around." He makes a cute smile like a mischievous child.

Jade just stares at him.

"Look, if whoever owns this truck didn't want it stolen, they wouldn't have left it unlocked with the keys in the visor."

They put a tarp over the weapons and ammo and drive off.

Beck drives because he knows the quickest way to downtown where the mayhem is the most dense. "How many of them are out there, do you think?"

Andre glares at Beck. "Them?" He scoffs at the comment.

"Make sure," Jade begins. "To spread these out to cops, military; anyone who will be useful and a decent shot. We need to make every bullet count."

"What about you guys?" Beck asks.

"Don't worry about us," Andre replies. "All we have to do is rip their heads off. You humans are the ones going to have your work cut out for ya." He gives the vampire hunter a devilish grin.

Y_ou can't choose your company when it comes to survival_, Beck thinks to himself.

* * *

The chain flies off the wall and the door comes down like a chopped tree.

Cat screams with everything in her, stifling for a second over the loss of breath.

A large bald vampire lifts up his sunglasses and regards at his prey.

"How sweet," he mutters.

He then looks down at her stomach, which is covered with a hand. The sound he heart wasn't just his imagination. It was a second heartbeat.

"This doesn't change anything," he taunts, pointing at her belly. "For you, at least."

* * *

Rob drives as fast as possible in his four-door sedan. An unmarked car courtesy of the police department. It has a hidden siren, which Rob activates to get people to move out of the way. But the general panic is too great.

In the excitement, he doesn't realize that he was plowing pell-mell into a road under construction. The car flips and skids to a stop a few yards away. Rob undoes his seatbelt and lands hard on the floor which was once the ceiling.

He grips the handle of the door to let him out but the whole thing is stuck.

"Shit, come on!"

Rob's eyes focus and he sees standing not too far away is the vampire that had been chasing him for twelve blocks.

* * *

The door closes form Trina backing into it, sliding down until she crashes her butt onto the floor. She cuddles up her legs and shakes.

Four residents and a nurse lay slain on the linoleum floor, which before the blood would have been beige. Tori is situated on her bed, cross-legged. Her face, hands and gown are drenched in crimson.

She is curled into a fetal position herself.

"What's happening?," Tori whispers.


	11. Battle Stations & Peace Treaties

**A/N: Okay, I had a really lousy day yesterday. Stuck in the hospital for 4 hours over my left foot?! But reading your comments and PM's have kept me sane while I waited. So, I feel generous today. This is the longest chapter so far. And for you Cabbie fans out there, please read carefully. Not for sure how many chapters there are left but the climax is so close I can taste it. Can you? ;-) **

* * *

The bearded vampire approaches swiftly to Rob's car. He picks up the vehicle and flips it over his head to make it upright. The impact dislocates Rob's shoulder. He holds on as the driver side door is ripped off.

A loud _chik chik_ is audible.

"Don't even think about it, asshole!"

The vampire stares at the barrel of a futuristic-looking shotgun pointed right in his path. Beck keeps his trigger finger steady and ready.

"Your makin' a big mistake," the vampire sneers. "A big mistake."

Suddenly, the towering Nosferatu is reduced to burning embers. "The only mistake I made was allowing you to talk," Beck quips.

The hunter and the cop make eye contact.

_Shit._

_Oh, shit._

"We gotta stop meeting like this," Rob dryly states.

"Shapiro, right?" Beck asks.

Rob nods.

"Listen, I have something that can help us stop these things but I need help. You need to get the cops' attention."

* * *

Cat backs away while sitting on the floor of the kitchen. The bald vampire looms in closer, relishing her fear. When she slams against the counter, the knife block falls spilling out its sharp contents.

She throws blade after blade at the creature but he barely notices them. Exception would be the butcher's cleaver. Even he had to stop to remove it from between his eyes before proceeding.

Cat's heart sinks as she clutches for the only other thing she could throw. A necklace given to her by her great-grandmother. She chucks the shiny pendant and the vampire catches it. A hissing sound and a few cries of pain later, the vampire releases the necklace.

_What happened? Why did he wince at the necklace by that?_ Cat finally realizes._ The silver._

She quickly eyes the silver letter opener in the curio cabinet. Another inheritance. Cat capitalizes on the vampire's distraction of his pain to get to the glass case. She fumbles for the knob, opening it. She grabs the sharp letter opener and brandishes it.

"Get out of here," she warns and manages to make brief contact on his arm. The vampire clutches the affected area and backs away through the open door.

Cat warded of the intruder and every second she made him understand that she meant business. It fled and never returned.

She finally breathes a sigh of relief and curses her absent fiancée.

"How ya doin' honey?" she mocks to herself. "Oh, well, you know; staying alive."

* * *

The cops set up a barricade just feet in front of the precinct. Beck comes crashing through the road blocks with some much-needed weapons. Rob vouches for Beck as he explains briefly how to kill a vampire and the basics for handling this new equipment.

"You can hit relatively anywhere with these silver rounds," Beck instructs. "But go for a traditional fatal shot to be more effective. Especially the heart. Speaking of which, you can still use ordinary weapons you may have at your disposal but only through impalement of the heart or the separation of the head from the body is death sure."

The cops murmur amongst themselves and nod.

"Step up," Rob says. "Let's arm up."

The men and women form a single line and get their guns.

"Those of you with the rifles," Rob adds. "Seek higher ground. You're gonna be our eyes in the sky. You can pick off the ones that try to get away."

"Excuse me," an older cop with a white mustache says strolling. "Commissioner Turner."

Rob tenses up but Beck just looks at him.

"Do these assault weapons have permits?" the senior officer asks, folding his arms.

"They permit you to live through the night," Beck bites back.

"Whatever," Turner grumbles as he walks away.

Rob lets out a sigh. "If you were police, you would have been shitcanned for that."

"Well I'm not," Beck quips. Rob takes a big gun and starts running away. "Where are you going?"

"I promised her I'd be back!" Shapiro is out of his sight.

_Her who?_ "What is with these people?"

* * *

Rob scales the stairwell of the apartment complex, keeping vigilant of his surroundings. So far, the stairs seem devoid of any vampires. Or humans for that matter. If anything got in, he wishes they got out before something bad happened.

He approaches the corridor leading up to their apartment. He notices the wide open door and it worried him. Rob cocks his gun and holds it out away from his body while shielding himself with the other arm. Standard stance for entering a potentially hostile area where the threat is undetermined.

Through the corner of his eye, he can see a small patch of inside the door and sees the fallen door. Rob swallows slowly and charges through the doorway and his heart stops when his barrel faces a redheaded woman holding a big knife in one hand and a silver necklace in the other.

They both scream for a couple seconds and quickly drop their weapon of choice, hugging extremely hard.

When they finally separate, Cat slaps him. "What the fuck happened to 'right back?'"

"You tend to lose track of time when you're driving along and some bloodsucker wants you for lunch."

Her face softens. "Are you okay?"

Rob surveys the damage in the apartment. "Are _you_ alright?"

"No," Cat shaking her head. "One of them came in here. I think I scared it off because he didn't come back."

"I should've been here," Rob lowers his head.

Cat place her hand on his chin and lifts up his face. "Hey, it's okay. You're here now." She sniffs, trying to stave off tears. "I just got worried you weren't coming back. When one of those things came in here, I was afraid of what outside looked like."

"It's not pretty," Rob hugging her again. "But we have reinforcements. Remember that crazy guy they arrested at the hospital last year?"

Cat nods.

"Well, he ain't so crazy after all. In fact, he helped make the police department stronger. It won't be easy but we now have the tools to start bringing them down."

"Wait," Cat pushing Rob away. "There's something I need to show you."

Cat retreats to the living room, walking over the fallen door, to the loveseat table drawer and producing a big tan envelope.

"What's this?" Rob asks as Cat hands it to him.

"Paternity results. I haven't had the guts to open it yet."

Rob holds the envelope tightly, with intent, in his hands.

"Is there a real possibility this baby isn't mine?"

Cat nods, tears flowing freely. "Tonight showed me that I can't wait for anything. Especially the truth. Because you never know what might happen."

He stares down at the envelope and after almost a solid minute, begins to walk over to the kitchen. Digging into the drawer, he pulls out the lighter wand and proceeds to ignite the envelope. He drops it in the sink when the flame gets too big.

Rob turns to Cat who followed him already and is only inches from him. He picks her up and kisses her. "This baby is part of you. That's for certain. And that's all that matters. Someone taught me that it doesn't really make a difference how you _become_ a father because _being_ a father is the greatest thing a man could ever do."

Cat lets out a squeal and kisses him back. "I don't deserve you, you know."

"Yeah you do."

They hear a loud beeping and sprinklers begin to douse the couple.

Rob looks at the now extinguished envelope. "Did not think that one through."

The two laugh uncontrollably and continue to embrace one another in the artificial rain.

* * *

"Tori," Trina searching for the words as she tries to get herself on her feet. "What have you done?"

"I don't know, I had this gnawing hunger and next thing I knew…"

She gestures at the four dead bodies.

A man coughs.

Three.

"Whhhuuu…..whhhaa…."

Trina tends to the fallen doctor. "Lay still, you lost a lot of blood," she guesses from the look of things.

Tori's eyes water and she gets off the bed to kneel by the doc. "I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over me…"

The man recoils at the very sight of her. He's scared to death. "MMM….MMonster….."

Tori backs away, covering her mouth and weeping.

_Could it be? Was I…? Wait, she would know for sure. _"Trina," looking at her big sister. "Where is she? Where's Jade?"

"She's gone," Trina too busy for tact while trying to stop the bleeding.

"What do you mean?"

Trina looks up at Tori and their eyes meet. She knows that look. Trina has had that contrite look whenever she would meddle in her personal business.

"I told her to…leave," given her sister's recent actions even Trina would hesitate on that last word.

Tori's face hardens and her eyes narrow. "What?"


	12. The New Blood

**A/N: You guys have been great with your reviews. I'm doing okay and I plan to have this thing wrapped up before the big holiday weekend is in full swing so I can break and be with family. I'd say 2-3 chapters to go, tops. I am glad that you're all enjoying yourselves and I hope you're satisfied with how it all ends. See you soon!**

* * *

"How could you do that?" Tori folding her arms, very cross.

Trina makes an exaggerated sigh. "Look, she wasn't right for you."

"Isn't that _my_ decision?"

"You don't get it, do you? She's the reason you're mixed up in all this madness. She's the reason mom and dad are dead…"

Tori leaps across the room and pins Trina against wall. She is dumbstruck about her younger and more petite sister's newfound strength.

"No, you fucking bitch! They were after dad!"

Trina's jaw drops. "What?"

"When they broke in, one of them muttered something about dad putting away his brothers. The other two were…friends, I guess…"

"But she…"

"You know what? She was probably busy. I'm not the only one that needs supervision. It wouldn't be fair to others that needed help. Jade knew where I was going and when, so she knew I was in a safe place. Besides, she knew my father. She trusted him. But he's only human. It was an ambush after all. But I don't blame him for not surviving and I don't blame Jade for not being there when it happened."

Tori now leans in so her forehead is touching Trina's

"But I was supper pissed off when I woke up and Jade wasn't there when I knew for a fact she would have dropped everything because she loves me. Turns out I have _you_ to thank for that!"

Trina chokes on the words and having a time forcing them out. "Tori…I'm…" Tears form. "I'm so sorry….I…"

Tori punches the wall inches from Trina's face. "Not yet, you're not."

She raises her first and it gets blocked before it could make contact with the elder Vega's body. Jade holds Tori's arms back with all her might. _She's very strong_, she thought. _It must have been very recent. Hard to control. I need to calm her down_.

"Tori," Jade putting her lips close to her ear. "Listen to me. Listen to the sound of my voice. It's me."

"You…came…back to me?" Tori's breathing was like a rabid animal.

"Of course I came back. I love you."

Tori's arms lower. Jade still holds onto the bronze-skinned girl.

"Listen to me very carefully."

Tori nods.

"I want you to ease up. You're not angry; let it go. You don't want to pummel your sister." Jade considers that. "Okay, you _do_ but you're not gonna. You're just hungry. Starving and the pain is playing on your worst emotions."

Jade looks at Trina. "If you value your life, I would get a blood pack, pronto."

Trina dutifully slips out of the room. Tori lunges for a moment but Jade keeps her in line.

"Better make it two!" she shouts out the door.

* * *

Andre is escorted to the top of city hall. Abernathy's back is to him, overlooking the city.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

"I dunno, can't see from over here in the loving hands of your goons."

Abernathy walks toward Andre and regards his face carefully.

"So," he starts. "You're Lyriz's betrayer. His own personal Judas."

"That's funny 'cuz others mistook him for the Messiah."

"Well," stroking Andre's locks. "His sacrifice won't be for nothing. And your disloyalty won't go unpunished."

Andre smiles.

"You don't seem disturbed by that," Abernathy frowns.

"Somehow I don't feel like I'm in danger here."

An intense, blinding spotlight illuminates the rooftop. The vampires recoil for a moment before realizing it's only artificial non-UV light. Abernathy raises a hand over his eyes to make out the police chopper hovering above them. A metallic-looking ball drops from the side and lands with a clang on the concrete.

One of Abernathy's cohorts kicks the object, chuckling to himself. Suddenly, silver shrapnel flies out and everyone is caught in the blast radius. Except for Abernathy and Andre who ducked out in time. And they are soon the only ones that remain whole.

Andre emerges from behind a half wall. "You like that, dontcha?"

"Bastard," Abernathy growls.

"We got people with guns to take your guys down all over the city. It's over, Abernathy."

"No, it's not. I still have a fresh crop that's growing as we speak. I can't wait for you to see it; pity Lyriz never saw it come to fruition. It was quite brilliant."

_He didn't._

I hope nobody you know is sick at the moment.

_He really did it._

Abernathy leaps off the city hall roof and vanishes. Andre curses himself and takes out his phone.

"Beck? We got a big problem…"

"Did you get the amulet from him?" Beck asks.

"No, he got away."

"Shit. Well, they're dropping like flies downtown and we've been pretty good keeping them from moving on uptown."

"I'm afraid their numbers are going to rise. I think he's infected a hospital."

Beck thinks back a year prior to their first attempt at such an act. "Oh my God."

Andre looks down at the city in danger and fixates on a giant red cross in the distance. "And I think I know which one. Send back up."

* * *

Trina returns finally with as many blood packs as she could carry and still be able to open a door. Her younger sister greedily downs the thick syrupy contents.

Trina thinks she's gonna hurl.

"You need to be careful these first few days," Jade rubbing Tori's back as she fed. "You're at your most vulnerable…and your most powerful. Your strength is almost limitless but you also need to keep control." Jade brandishes one of the empty bags. "It's gonna take time until we know how often you can last until you need to feed again."

Jade looks at Trina. "She won't always be like this. She lost a lot of blood from the attack; more so than I did when I was turned."

"I just don't know how it happened," Trina shaking her head.

An alarm sounds on their floor.

_I got a bad feeling about this_, Jade thinks.


	13. No Way Out

"Trina," Jade sounding very serious. "If what I think is going on here is right, we need to get out now."

Jade drapes Tori's arm over her shoulder, dragging the girl. The three of them exit. They race down the hallway and stop when about a dozen vampires appear at the end, blocking their exit.

"Trina, run." Jade turns to her. "Go!"

The older Vega runs away with everything she has. Jade gently puts her girlfriend down on the floor, propping her back against the wall. She kisses her forehead reassuringly.

"If you want either of them," Jade threatens the rouge bloodsuckers. "You're gonna have to go through me first."

* * *

Trina comes across a stairwell leading all the way to the lobby. She opens the metal door carefully and shuts it quickly when she spots moaning, pale bodies ascending the steps.

Her eyes spot something across the way.

The elevator.

She takes a deep breath, understanding it was the only way out for her.

* * *

Abernathy leaps onto the roof of Schneider Memorial.

"It ends here."

He tears open a ventilation grate and jumps inside, landing in an elevator shaft. After landing on a passenger car, Abernathy pries a set of doors open with his bare hands and crawls out.

* * *

A deafening thud makes Trina scream aloud. The whole elevator shakes.

"What was that?"

Trina then notices that elevator has topped moving.

_Oh, no. Oh, no. _

Panic was swelling in Trina's chest. She stretches out her arms, touching wall to wall. She tries the buttons and none of them were working.

Stuck.

Immediately she was a little girl again. She was on the police station for a police ride along with her dad. Being seven, Trina naturally wandered off when someone asked her dad a question. She stopped at the elevator. There wasn't one in school or home, so Trina never rode one before. She thought she was tall enough to press the buttons.

One push and the doors opened with a ding sound. Trina jumps into it, minding the gap. She greedily tried all the buttons, thinking they would stop on every floor. After seeing the top two floors above where she got on, a power failure happened at the precinct.

David Vega spent hours looking for his little girl. He was panicking but Trina was in even worse shape in that dark, metal box. She was never timid of small spaces but that experience made her deathly afraid of elevators.

Now there she was, trapped once again in a tiny room suspended with a cable.

Trina began to sweat profusely. She was starting to hyperventilate.

"Hello?"

Nothing.

"Please, help! Hello!"

Trina grows tired of hearing nothing and bangs on the door.

"Hello?" she shouts at the top of her lungs. "Anybody? Anyone out there?"

A knocking startles the shit out of her, retreating to the back. Metallic banging makes Trina grip the handle in fear.

The doors slowly get propped open and she makes eye contact with Beck.

"You okay?"

The wind gets knocked out of him when Trina tackles him, landing hard onto the floor. Her panic was subsiding but her breathing remained inconsistent. On top of her rescuer, Trina couldn't help but notice how handsome he is.

"So…I guess you're oka…"

Trina kisses him hard enough to bend back his front teeth. He looks back at her stunned.

"I'll just take that as a yes," he smiles.

"I'm sorry," brushing a brown lock past her eye. "I was…" She laughs nervously. "Just wanted to say thank you."

"Maybe I should rescue pretty girls from elevators more often," he quips.

_What did he just say?_

Her mind snaps out of Cloud 9 and gets off him. Beck gets back onto his feet. Once vertical again, he extends his hand.

"Beck."

She grins like a goon and takes it. "Trina. Trina Vega."

_Why the fuck did I say my last name? What is this, a job interview?_

His tone gets serious as he touches her shoulder. She swoons from the physical gesture.

"Did you say 'Vega'?" he asks.

_Oh, my God. He recognizes me from TV!_

"As in Tori Vega?"

_Of course. _

"Yeah," Trina replies. "She's my sister."

"Where is she?"

"She's on the fifth floor with Jade."

"Good," grabbing her arm and walking forward. "Take me to them."

_What the hell?_

* * *

The pair charge up the stairs, Beck nailing vamps as they go. Brave, focused, strong. Trina feels herself falling more and more in love with this man.

They come through the door leading to the fifth floor and fly down the corridor before finding…

About seven dispatched vampires. Standing on them like a warrior in victory is Jade with Tori over her one shoulder.

"What took you so long?"

Beck nods at Jade. "Impressive."

"So," Trina trying to ignore the carnage inches from where she's standing. "What do we do, now?"

"More of them?" Jade asks.

"Lots," Beck responds. "The main lobby all the way up to here is infested. Even I can't hack through them all."

Jade shakes her head. "There has to be some place."

Trina thinks for a minute. "Wait, I know. I went here once when I broke a leg. They took me to physical therapy. It's a big open room where half the walls and ceiling are windows."

Jade curls her mouth and looks at Beck.

"Is it on this floor?" Beck asks.

"West wing, but yeah."

Furrowing her brow, Jade says "Let's do it."

* * *

The massive room was as Trina described it. Sparse furniture and various pieces of equipment. But the biggest thing was how high the ceiling was and where it abruptly ends, given the odd configuration of the roof and a series of giant glass panels cascade down at an angle.

Beck tries to open the windows but they're not set up for that.

"Okay," he sighs. "Just going to have to shoot ourselves out."

"You think you can break that glass?" Trina asks.

As if in response, a big panel over their heads shatters into bits and a dark figure lands with an enormous crack, as it destroys a table upon impact.

Abernathy looks up and smiles.

"Checking out, so soon?"


	14. Last Stand

Abernathy steps off the splintered remains of the table he landed on.

"Tell me," addressing Jade. "How did it feel to kill Lyriz? Did it feel good?"

Jade is confused by the question.

"Did it feel good…to feel the one who turned you die in your hands?"

"What the hell are you talking about," Jade impatient with this bizarre questioning.

"You really don't remember me," his face appears hurt at this revelation.

"Should I?" Jade folding her arms.

"We met…though it was a long time ago…down in the subway?"

Jade's memory goes back about nine years; mere hours after her attack. The first time she ever fed. "Ben…Clarke. That's what the paper called you. Thought they arrested you."

"They did," he snorts. "But…heh…heh…naturally I didn't stay in custody for long. It's not Ben Clarke anymore. That was my time as a human fucking being. I go by my mother's maiden name: Abernathy. Always liked it. Being a dead man, no one cares about you changing your name."

"I never…"

Jade's retort is interrupted by Abernathy throwing a row of attached chairs in disgust.

"You took my life, Jade West. You think I enjoy being this way? Never seeing the sun; resorting to cannibalism to survive." His face became more twisted with each passing word.

He leaps toward Jade, knocking her across the room.

"I only stole what I needed to. I wasn't a monster before I met you. Now I'm a murderer. And you know what? I found out that I was really good at it."

Jade struggles to get her bearings. _He's really strong. _

Abernathy picks her up by the throat. "How long has it been since you've fed? Must have been quite a few days; I can see it in your eyes."

_No, it's me. _

"When you cut me like a stuffed pig," Abernathy pounds her ribs until they felt like they've been turned to powder. "And lapped up my bleeding body like a hungry dog…" throwing Jade back to the ground. "You didn't think about exposing me to your DNA?"

Jade's memory couldn't help but search its archives. Tori was never infected and they've kissed hundreds of times. Wait. He shot me before that. Was I bleeding internally? Did I accidentally bleed through my mouth when I touched him? _Stupid. Stupid. _

Abernathy lands kicks into her torso.

"Stop it!" Trina standing her ground close to the melee. "Leave her alone, you bastard!"

He points right at Trina. "Ah, isn't that precious? You have a fan."

Beck comes up with his gun freshly reloaded. "Make that two." He fires at the vampire but he is surprisingly quicker than average. He dodges the shots and deftly disarms the vampire hunter with a head-butt. Once the weapon is free from its operator's fingers, Abernathy breaks in into pieces.

"Just because I loathe what I've become," Abernathy pointing at Beck's motionless body. "Doesn't mean I condone his kind." He disregards Jade and walks over to Beck, picking him up by his shoulders. "You really think you were the first hunter I've encountered. Huh?"

Trina runs over to help Jade. Supporting herself with one arm, she tells the older Vega "No…help…him…"

She nods and runs over to the fallen soldier. Abernathy catches what is going on and tosses Beck haphazardly through the air, landing on Trina which knocks her to the floor.

"Beck? Beck?" his lack of response makes Trina terrified. But her anxiety reaches new dimensions when Abernathy begins to strangle her with his one arm.

"Annoying wench," he sneers.

"Let her go," Jade's voice getting Abernathy's attention. She stands, barely, holding her right side with her left hand and her left arm with her right. Jade couldn't keep track of the amount of broken bones in her body but she knew one thing: she hadn't the strength to repair them. She only has the energy to stay alive which is getting increasingly difficult.

Abernathy looks at Jade, back at Trina and then back at Jade again. He discards the human and pursues the big prize. Jade could feel her whole body tense up, bracing for the next series of blows but she had to keep fighting.

It was all she could do.

Jade lands a couple decent punches but his retort was far more severe. It wasn't long until she found herself on the ground again. This time, she couldn't get up anymore. With her last ounce of strength, Jade manages to roll over onto her back.

If she was gonna die, she was at least gonna look her killer in the eyes. Never give him the satisfaction of being afraid.

Even when there is no hope left.

* * *

Andre makes it to the hospital but his progress is upset by the hordes of freshly-minted vampires. He certainly has his work cut out for him.

"Damn it, I need to get past the lobby. I hope Jade and the others are okay."

* * *

"Does it hurt, Miss Jade?" Abernathy standing over her, savoring his impending victory.

"I'm pretty fucking far from okay, if that's what you mean" Jade holding onto her sarcasm. Take the flavor out of his moment of triumph.

A deafening scream surprises Jade and so does watching Abernathy fly across the room, slamming into the wall. His body leaves a big crater. Tori grabs the dumbfounded Abernathy and slams him into the floor, his form making an even larger impact mark.

"You attack my sister and my girl?" Tori's eyes ablaze. "You die!"

Tori backs up, letting Abernathy get to his feet. He comes at her with some fresh jabs but she counters every one by ducking. On the fifth one, she grips his fist and uses it to swing him around before letting him go. His trajectory sends him into the big window close to the floor.

He emerges from the shattered glass, several pieces of which sticking to his flesh. He clearly looks worse for the wear from what Tori did to him.

* * *

Trina crawls over to Beck. She puts her ear to his chest. Still breathing. She acquires a couple pillows from a couch and supports his head. Even though she knew nothing about medicine, having a father as a cop made her learn basic first aid peripherally.

Trina rubs his forehead, tears traveling down her face. "Please wake up, my knight."

Beck coughs and opens his eyes. "What's happening?"

"You past out when that guy hit you."

"Sure it was him," he winces. "And not a semi?"

Trina covers her mouth, trying not to laugh even though despite being hurt, that was his intention.

"You're flat on your back and all you can think of is making _me_ feel better?"

Beck shrugs one shoulder. The left doesn't feel too good. "Sometimes that makes us stronger, thinking of somebody else."

* * *

Tori gets behind the wounded Abernathy and gets a firm grip on his head. He screams ferociously as the jugular, trachea and vertebrate stretch beyond their means. Soon, Tori is holding the head of the threat to what was left of her family. The body on the other hand collapses far below.

She kicks the severed head like a macabre soccer ball. The amulet, hanging from what still remains of the neck, hits the wall squarely and smashes into a thousand tiny bits.

Soon, and orange glow begins to creep through the darkness.

_Shit._

Tori looks at the clock on the wall. 7:15.

_Oh God, Jade._

She races to her fallen girlfriend but a rough ray of UV penetrates the broken piece of ceiling glass. The light hits Jade in the chest, the agony making her eyes roll in the back of her head.

Tori picks up Jade and runs to the lounge, the closest place away from any windows. She looks down at her love and sees her heart beating. The ray managed to make a gaping hole in her.

"Jade?"

No reaction. No movement.

"Jade, can you hear me?"

Still nothing.

Tori could feel the ground giving way from underneath her as she looks upon Jade's lifeless body.


	15. Never Die Alone

**A/N: It's the end. Thanks so much for everyone who has been along for the ride and especially for those that have been there since the first story. Last minute shout outs to newcomers to the fan base: ToDieWouldBeABigAdventure and FufuTheFallenAngel. **

**Of course; much love to the following: **** amal-rukia, **Charmdfan02, hurriCADE, Jeremy Shane, Lilsky, SKRowling, spiderwriter, TheLastOfThem, and last but certainly not least TimelessReader.

**Your comments have been my driving force and nice to see you add me to your author alerts. I am trying to make sure to check out and review as much of your stories as possible. And you all out there should seriously check out the stories of these writers. They are damn good! **

* * *

Beck and Trina watch on as Tori continues to try to revive Jade. She was already so weak. And the fight between her and Abernathy only caused her to lose even more blood.

Tori was getting desperate. She took her hand and ripped open her other arm severely. She holds it over Jade's mouth, letting the blood flow freely into her parted lips. Tori alternates between Jade's mouth and her fatal wound.

"This has to work," she tells herself. "It must."

Trina holds onto Beck, crying. She couldn't stand to see her little sister distraught like this but the rest of the picture (though she would never admit it) was that Jade has kind of grown on her.

"Come on, Jade." Tori would not give up. "Open your eyes, baby. Come on, Jade." She shakes her girlfriend's limp form. "Open your eyes, goddamnit!"

* * *

Tori and Jade sit on the ledge of a billboard looming over the city.

"Jade?"

Tori makes a face when she sees how entranced her girlfriend was over the sea of artificial light down below.

"Jade!"

She shakes her head and looks at Tori. "What?"

"I asked you a question."

Jade scrunches up her face. "What was that again?"

Tori sighs emphatically. "I asked you what made you first decide that you wanted to help people."

"Like that?"

Tori nods. "Like that."

Jade stands up and looks into the distance. "I never told you about the night I was attacked, did i?"

She shakes her head.

"Well, I was walking home like I always have. Next thing I knew I was on the ground, bleeding to death."

Tori covers her mouth in horror. "Babe, it must have been horrible. I can't even begin to think…"

"The worst part about it was that I was all alone. Nothing with me in that cold alley." She looks at Tori "No one should die alone."

She gives Jade a look as if she had been given an order.

"While I tried to be one step ahead of the trouble; at least I knew in my heart that if I was late, at least that man or woman" she began to tear up. "Or child would not be without some semblance of the comfort of somebody."

"I think I'm starting to understand."

Truthfully, Tori wouldn't completely see where Jade was coming from until that night her and her parents were slain in cold blood. Despite being in the company of her mom and dad, their being DOA and her still clinging felt just as lonely as Jade must have felt.

It was the scariest moment of her life.

Now Tori is facing the scariest moment in her afterlife.

* * *

"Please don't" Tori whispers.

"tttttooorrii?"

Jade looks around with squinted eyes, confused.

"wwhat hhappened?"

Tori's heart grows heavy; much heavier than the beauty in her arms. Her tears refused to cease.

"Jade?" The word almost didn't come.

"Tori?" Jade slowly attempts to lift her hand to touch Tori's face. She reciprocates by holding that same hand in return.

They just stare at one another for several minutes in silence. Jade being held helplessly like an injured baby deer in the embrace of Tori.

"What happened to him?" Jade asks Tori. "Where is he?"

She understood that Jade meant about what became of Abernathy. "Sweetheart," Tori looking deep into Jade's eyes. "I ripped his fucking head off."

Jade takes in what she had just heard. She runs her fingers through the half-Latina's brown hair. "That's my girl."

"I thought I'd never see you again," Tori's eyes emitting fresh tears.

Jade shakes her head. "You're not gonna get rid of me _that_ easily."

"Damn straight."

Tori lowers her head to Jade who rises to meet her halfway. They share a long, exquisite kiss.

Beck looks on at two vampires, not nomadic murderers, but two soul mates that would die to protect the other.

Trina shakes her head at the person she always wanted her sister to find; someone who would face the Devil for her.

The two humans hold hands and draw closer together, witnessing just how beautifully they were both wrong.

_Abominations? _Beck asks himself. _Not even close. I see a triumph over death. Maybe there is no Heaven. Maybe we make it here on earth, one love blossoming at a time._

**THE END**


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